Kingdom Builder

[YourMathTeacher]

Does anyone have this game? My wife got it for me for Christmas. Apparently it was an Amazon Lightning Deal for $9 with free shipping, so she couldn't pass it up.

If anyone plays, do you have any expansions? Does anyone recommend any of the expansions?

[Josh]

I don't own it, but my cousin does and I've played it a few times.  It's a good game.  I'd buy it for $9 for sure   

I am not sure if we played with any expansions.  I think we did.  I can check with him to confirm.

[soul seeker]

I have it, and we like it a lot.  $9 is an excellent deal for it, and I think you found a real winner for that price.  It is a quick and easy version of Settlers when we don't have time for Settlers. Yet unique enough that it doesn't feel like a rip off of Settlers.
   
I have the expansion that adds a 5th player (I forget the name at the moment as it is back home and I'm with family).  That expansion adds more diversity to a game that is already full of diversity.  Some of the new abilities are great and some are bland just like the original game's powers.  The biggest win for my family is that it added the 5th player, so that more of us can play it because there are 6 of us.

[YourMathTeacher]

I have the expansion that adds a 5th player (I forget the name at the moment as it is back home and I'm with family).

I believe that is the "Nomads" expansion, which is the one I was considering since I also have a larger playgroup. But I didn't want to pay twice as much for the expansion as I did the original just to add another color. I have plenty of game pieces from other games to add a fifth player.

That expansion adds more diversity to a game that is already full of diversity.  Some of the new abilities are great and some are bland just like the original game's powers.

This is the kind of information I was looking for. Does the expansion add more game boards with new locations? How many? I assume that there are also new Kingdom Cards that give new ways to earn gold (victory points). I guess the real question is whether these additional boards and cards are worth the cost of the expansion.

[soul seeker]

When I am done visiting with family, I will pull my copy out and answer the expansion question more thoroughly.  It will be after the new year.  It will be a welcomed break from the other conversations that I will be having that week.

[YourMathTeacher]

When I am done visiting with family, I will pull my copy out and answer the expansion question more thoroughly.  It will be after the new year.

Take your time, there's no hurry. I was just planning ahead. I like to play games several times before adding any expansions anyway. 

It will be a welcomed break from the other conversations that I will be having that week.

I pray that the other conversation goes well and that you will have a peace that only God can bring.

[soul seeker]

I do have Nomads.  Here is the breakdown of the pros and cons...
Pros:
  1.  3 New Kingdom Cards that allow you to score during the game.  I get that the original game creates some suspense by not knowing where everyone stands with points.  If you like that style, then the new Kingdom cards may not be your flavor.  I like them because they add a mix of instant point gratification while building suspense for the final score with the other kingdom cards.
  2.  The ability to build walls (Quarry tile).  This is probably my favorite tile that added new strategy.  You can block people from tiles that you need, location tiles, or key terrain spaces.  Additionally, this tile adds more to the Paddock/Horse Jump tile, which was a tile that I found worthless within the original game.
  3. The ability to move settlements in a straight line (Caravan).  Did you get stuck with a terrible terrain card?  No problem! Play one settlement then activate your caravan!  This card has gotten me out of a lot of trouble due to a bad draw OR enhanced a strategy to score points (Lords, Hermits, etc) when the terrain cards haven't cooperated.
   4.  As you know, I liked having the 5th player option.

Cons:
  1.  The "same story, different cover" tiles.  "Village" is an abstract version of "Tavern."  "Garden" is the flower version of "Farm" & "Oasis."  I just felt they could do more instead of playing catch up with left out tiles from the original.  The reason I know they could do more is because of the "Nomad" tiles.

The "Nomad" tiles...
The Nomad tile locations put random one use tiles (the turn gained or your next turn) onto the board that people vie for. They have various abilities depending on what you randomly drew:
1. 3 free settlements on the terrain indicated.    (meh, imo)
2. Moving 1-4 settlements up to 4 spaces total.  (fun to do strategy-wise)
3. Ignore the adjacency rule.      (Great at times!)
4. Remove 1 of each other player's settlement    (Awesome and I wish this had its own tile location)
5. Score 3 points   (meh, imo)

I hope this gives you a good idea of the Nomads expansion.  Overall, I found it a worthwhile purchase to add additional strategy.

[YourMathTeacher]

Thanks for your help. I am definitely more interested in the Nomads now.

Additionally, this tile adds more to the Paddock/Horse Jump tile, which was a tile that I found worthless within the original game.

Interesting, since I found the Horse Jump tile extremely useful. It was obviously great for the Hermit, but I found it helpful to cross rivers and to jump over opponents' blockades. If you get it early enough, you can literally keep jumping one settlement until it reaches another tile location.

  3. The ability to move settlements in a straight line (Caravan).  Did you get stuck with a terrible terrain card?  No problem! Play one settlement then activate your caravan!  This card has gotten me out of a lot of trouble due to a bad draw OR enhanced a strategy to score points (Lords, Hermits, etc) when the terrain cards haven't cooperated.

This sounds great! Every time I have tried to teach a new player, they have always had terrible terrain card draws, which makes for a boring debut. Question, though.... You said "card." Is the Caravan a Kingdom Card, or something else?
   

The "Nomad" tiles...
The Nomad tile locations put random one use tiles (the turn gained or your next turn) onto the board that people vie for. They have various abilities depending on what you randomly drew:
1. 3 free settlements on the terrain indicated.    (meh, imo)
2. Moving 1-4 settlements up to 4 spaces total.  (fun to do strategy-wise)
3. Ignore the adjacency rule.      (Great at times!)
4. Remove 1 of each other player's settlement    (Awesome and I wish this had its own tile location)
5. Score 3 points   (meh, imo)

I do like the sound of the Nomad tiles, especially #2 (for the same reason I like the Horse Jump), #3 (because it's awesome!), and #4 (adds a little intrigue when the game seems to be going a certain way).

I hope this gives you a good idea of the Nomads expansion.  Overall, I found it a worthwhile purchase to add additional strategy.

This is exactly what I needed to know. Once again the Redemption Community comes through! 

[soul seeker]

  3. The ability to move settlements in a straight line (Caravan).  Did you get stuck with a terrible terrain card?  No problem! Play one settlement then activate your caravan!  This card has gotten me out of a lot of trouble due to a bad draw OR enhanced a strategy to score points (Lords, Hermits, etc) when the terrain cards haven't cooperated.

This sounds great! Every time I have tried to teach a new player, they have always had terrible terrain card draws, which makes for a boring debut. Question, though.... You said "card." Is the Caravan a Kingdom Card, or something else?
 

Sorry, that was a typing goof on my part.  It is a tile to be used every turn, not a card. My favorite tile is between this and Quarry.

As far as Horse Jump, I guess I never got it early enough because I focused on other tiles.  I like to drop my settlements as fast as possible, so I go after those tiles.  It is likely a tactical error or my part, but Nomads puts a greater need for HorseJump if the right match up comes along.  (We randomly choose boards and Kingdom Cards.)